Top 25 Iron-rich Foods You Need To Include In Your Diet

Our parents and grandparents have always stressed upon eating foods that contain iron throughout the childhood. Ever wondered why? Iron is one of the most important micronutrient that our body needs in order to properly function. The main purpose of iron in the human body is to form the red blood cells and carry the oxygen entire body. This nutrient is an essential component of haemoglobin, which supports a healthy metabolism as well as proper growth and development.

Therefore, it is very important for us to follow an iron-rich diet. Here is the iron-rich foods list which will help in providing the required iron for the body.

Recommended Daily Intake Of Iron

According to a report by National Institutes Of Health, the daily level of iron intake varies according to the age, gender as well as the health condition of the person. Here is the detailed chart:

Top 25 Iron Rich Foods

Iron helps in improving the haemoglobin level in the body and it also helps in keeping the energized all day. There are so many benefits of adding foods that contain iron to the daily diet.

[A] Iron Rich Vegetables:

Most of the people think that the only meat is the rich source of iron, but there are so many iron rich foods vegetarian which will help in providing iron to the body without eating meat.

1. Spinach: Spinach is one such vegetable which has the highest content of iron. If you are suffering from an iron deficit or just want to include one iron rich food vegetarian to your diet, then Spinach will be the best option for you.

2. Broccoli: Broccoli belongs to a cruciferous vegetable category. It is a rich source of iron and apart from that, it has other nutrients like Vitamin A and C, magnesium in it. So including Broccoli in diet will help you in a lot of ways.

3. Potato: Potato is one of the iron rich Indian foods. Potato is used most of the times in Indian cuisine and consuming potatoes regularly is very healthy. It is one of the great sources of iron.

4. Beetroot: Beetroot is a rich source of iron and folate. Hence it can be considered as a go-to option for iron. If you are suffering from the haemoglobin deficit then Beetroot is the perfect option for you.

5. Legumes: Legumes means chickpeas, beans, lentils and soybeans. Legumes are one of the best sources of iron offering so many benefits. Consuming legumes on regular basis will improve the content of haemoglobin in your body.

6. Mushrooms: Mushrooms are another healthy and iron rich vegetables available in the market. They are the best option if you are in search of an iron rich vegetable food. They are high in iron as well as their anti-inflammatory properties will help in fighting serious diseases like cancer.

7. Swiss Chard:Swiss chard is another green leafy vegetable which acts as iron rich food vegetarian. Including Swiss chard in the regular diet is very healthy.

Not only vegetables, but there are so many iron rich fruits which can be included in the daily diet. Fruits are always good for health and when they are best sources of iron, they become more healthy.

8. Watermelon: Watermelon is the favourite summer fruit at the same time it is very healthy and is one of the foods high in iron. Apart from being a rich source of iron, it is also rich in Vitamin C which will help in turning the iron into haemoglobin.

9. Strawberries: Strawberries are iron rich fruits. They are rich in Vitamin C too. If you are in search of the foods that contain iron and at the same time are delicious, then Strawberries are the right option for you

10. Pomegranate: Pomegranate is a rich source of iron. Apart from iron it also consists of fiber, protein, calcium, etc. this is the perfect source for the people who are suffering from low levels of haemoglobin.

11. Olives: Olives are one of the iron rich foods and at the same time they are rich in antioxidants which helps in fighting the diseases like cancer. So adding olives into your regular diet will aid you in so many ways.

12. Mulberries: Mulberries are not only rich in iron, they are very rich sources of fiber, which helps in promoting the digestive health. These mulberries also help in preventing colorectal cancer. Mulberries are one of the good foods with iron content in them.

13. Dates: Everyone knows how dates are great sources of iron. They are the best option available in the market and there are so many advantages of these dates. It is one of the go-to foods for the people who are suffering from blood deficit.

Most of the people aren’t aware of the fact that the dry fruits are one of the most reliable sources of iron. Consuming these dry fruits of daily basis will provide the iron that is required by the body.

14. Raisins: Raisins are a very rich source of iron. It is very important to consume these raisins on regular basis in order to maintain good health.

15. Prunes:Prunes are the plum dry fruits which is one of the best sources of iron. They are rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants too. Add this to your every day diet to make it iron rich diet.

16. Pistachios: Pistachios are usually consumed with sweets or in the form of ice cream and cakes. The Pistachios are iron rich foods and help in improving blood level in the body. They can be consumed directly too so eat these pistachios as a time pass snack in between the meals.

17. Apricots: Apricot is one of those foods which are high in nutrients and at the same time tasty too. The Apricots have so many health benefits. They are one of the best sources of iron and tossing them into the regular salad will make your diet much more healthy and iron rich diet.

[D] Meat, Seafood- Great Sources Of Iron:

Meat is obviously the best source of iron. They have all the required nutrients that are essential for a human body. There are different types of meat and seafood that can be included in the diet.

18. Ground Beef or Red Meat: If you are a non-vegetarian then the ground beef can be added to your diet. Ground beef is one of the best foods that contain iron. It is better to take ground beef on regular basis in order to improve the iron content in your body.

19. Chicken Breast: If you are a chicken lover, then chicken breasts will be the perfect option for you. Usually, chicken is regularly consumed, the only thing that you have to keep in mind is to eat chicken breast more than any other body parts of it.

20. Liver: Liver of either chicken or mutton can be added to the diet as they are rich sources of iron. The liver has very high content of iron and consuming a small part of it is enough to provide you with the iron that is required for the day.

21. Eggs: Everyone knows that eggs are filled with proteins. There are so many people who are consuming iron rich diet by adding an egg in their regular meal. Egg increases the good cholesterol levels in your body and protects your heart from various diseases.

22. Clams: If you love seafood then you probably drool over clams because of its great taste. Clams can be considered as the king of iron content. These clams are also a rich source of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C. So add them to your regular diet and make it healthy.

23. Oysters: Oysters are iron rich foods and intake of one cup of oysters will provide you with the 98% of your daily iron requirement. These Oysters are high in Omega-3 fatty acids which are also good for health.

24. Prawns: Prawns are one of the tasty foods with iron. Consuming prawns with your regular meal will help in providing the body with the required iron for the day.

25. Fishes: Most of the people know that fishes are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, but the fishes have much more benefits other than these Omega 3. They are one of the iron rich foods which are tasty at the same time healthy. Include them in your regular diet to prevent any kind of health problems.

This is the iron rich foods list which includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. It is very important to include any of these foods in the regular diet to make it much more healthy and iron rich diet.